At first, being Rohan's girlfriend felt exciting.
People noticed them together more. His friends teased him. Some girls whispered when Meera walked past.
Rohan would sometimes pull her close in the corridor, brushing her hair behind her ear.
"Look at you," he would say with a smile. "My girlfriend."
Those moments made her heart race.
But slowly, other things began to change.
One afternoon during lunch, Meera was laughing with Harsh while he explained a math problem to her.
"Seriously," Harsh said, tapping the notebook. "If you do this step first, the entire question becomes easy."
Meera groaned. "Why does your 'easy' feel like rocket science?"
Harsh smirked. "Because you refuse to use the brain you were given."
She nudged his shoulder, laughing.
Just then, Rohan appeared beside them.
The smile on his face looked a little too tight.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
Meera looked up. "Nothing, Harsh was just helping me with—"
"Again?" Rohan interrupted.
Harsh leaned back in his chair. "Yeah. Again. She needs it."
Rohan chuckled, but there was something sharp in his voice.
"Wow, Meera. Didn't know you needed a personal tutor."
Meera felt embarrassed.
"I asked him," she said quietly.
Rohan shrugged. "Relax, babe. I'm just saying."
Later that day, he texted her.
Why are you always with Harsh?
Meera frowned at the screen.
He's just helping me study.
The typing bubble appeared immediately.
Yeah. But you're my girlfriend now.
Her stomach twisted slightly.
That evening they met outside school.
At first, Rohan was sweet again.
He pulled her close, kissed her forehead, and said, "I missed you today."
Meera smiled, relieved.
But a few minutes later, his tone changed.
"You know," he said casually, "you shouldn't hang around Harsh so much."
"Why?" Meera asked.
Rohan shrugged. "I just don't like it."
"He's my friend."
"Yeah," Rohan said, his voice suddenly colder. "But I'm your boyfriend."
Meera hesitated.
"I'm not doing anything wrong."
Rohan grabbed her wrist a little tighter than necessary.
"I didn't say you were," he said, smiling again.
But the grip made her wince.
"Rohan… that hurts."
He immediately let go.
"God, Meera," he sighed. "You're so dramatic."
She rubbed her wrist quietly.
Across campus the next day, Harsh noticed her sitting unusually quiet during study time.
He leaned over.
"You look like someone stole your favorite snack."
Meera forced a smile. "I'm fine."
Harsh studied her face for a second.
Then he leaned back.
"Well," he said casually, "not my business."
She blinked.
"But," he continued, flipping a page in her notebook, "if someone is bothering you… they're an idiot."
Meera laughed softly.
"You always say that."
"Because it's usually true."
For a moment, she felt safe again.
Harsh didn't know about the tension with Rohan.
He didn't know about the wrist.
He didn't know about the texts.
He just knew Meera deserved better.
And though he had stepped back the moment he heard Rohan was her boyfriend, he still stayed nearby—teasing her, helping her study, quietly making sure she wasn't alone.
Meera didn't realize it yet.
But the cracks in her relationship with Rohan were beginning to grow.
And Harsh was starting to notice them.
It started like any other afternoon.
Harsh and Meera were sitting in the library, books spread across the table. Harsh had his usual serious expression while explaining something in her notebook.
"No," he said, tapping the page. "You skipped a step again. Do it properly."
Meera groaned dramatically. "Harsh, I swear this question hates me."
"The question is innocent," he replied calmly. "The problem is the person solving it."
She threw a pencil at him.
He caught it mid-air with a small smirk.
"Violence now? Impressive."
Meera laughed despite herself.
And that was the exact moment Rohan walked in.
He had been looking for her for almost ten minutes.
When he saw them together—laughing, leaning over the same notebook—his jaw tightened.
He walked straight to their table.
"Well," Rohan said loudly. "Looks like I found you."
Meera looked up, surprised. "Rohan?"
Harsh glanced at him briefly but didn't say anything.
Rohan looked at the open notebook.
"So this is what you were doing instead of answering my texts?"
Meera blinked. "My phone was on silent. We were studying."
"Studying," Rohan repeated slowly.
A few nearby students looked up.
Harsh leaned back in his chair.
"Yes," he said calmly. "Studying. Revolutionary concept."
Rohan's eyes snapped toward him.
"I wasn't talking to you."
Harsh shrugged. "Then don't look at me."
Meera felt the tension instantly.
"Rohan," she said quietly, "it's not a big deal—"
"Not a big deal?" he interrupted.
His voice was louder now.
"You've been sitting here laughing with him while I've been waiting outside like an idiot."
People in the library were now openly watching.
Meera felt embarrassed.
"You didn't tell me you were waiting," she said.
Rohan scoffed.
"You shouldn't need an invitation to meet your own boyfriend."
Harsh's expression darkened slightly.
He closed the notebook calmly.
"Alright," he said quietly. "I'll go."
Meera looked up quickly. "Harsh, you don't have to—"
But Harsh was already standing.
He looked at Rohan, his voice controlled but sharp.
"Relax. She was just studying."
Rohan laughed sarcastically.
"Oh really? You seem very invested in her studying."
Harsh didn't respond.
Instead, he simply looked at Meera.
"Finish the rest of the problems I gave you," he said. "Or you'll fail the test."
Meera almost smiled despite the situation.
"Bossy," she muttered.
Then Harsh walked away.
But Rohan was still staring after him.
When he turned back to Meera, his expression was colder.
"You like spending time with him a lot, don't you?"
"What?" she said.
"You laugh with him more than you laugh with me."
"That's not true."
Rohan leaned closer.
"Then stop acting like it is."
Meera crossed her arms.
"He's helping me. That's it."
"Yeah," Rohan said flatly. "Sure."
He grabbed her hand suddenly.
"Come on."
"Where?"
"Outside."
His grip was tight again.
When they stepped into the empty corridor, Meera pulled her hand back.
"You embarrassed me in there," she said quietly.
Rohan stared at her.
"I embarrassed you?"
"Yes."
He laughed.
"Wow."
Then he stepped closer.
"You're the one hanging around another guy all day."
"He's my friend."
"And I'm your boyfriend," Rohan snapped.
The sudden sharpness in his voice made her flinch.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Rohan ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
"Look," he said more calmly. "I just don't like seeing you with him so much."
Meera looked down.
"You don't trust me?"
"That's not what I said."
He reached out and brushed her hair back gently.
The sudden softness confused her again.
"You know I like you, right?" he said quietly.
Meera nodded.
But deep inside, something didn't feel right anymore.
Across the courtyard, Harsh was walking toward the gate.
He paused for a moment and glanced back toward the school building.
His expression was unreadable.
He had stepped back because Meera chose Rohan.
But watching the way Rohan spoke to her…
Something about it didn't sit right with him.
And for the first time, Harsh wondered if stepping back had been a mistake.
That evening, Meera sat on her bed, staring at her phone.
The day had been exhausting.
Rohan's sudden anger in the library still echoed in her mind, and Harsh's quiet exit made her feel strangely guilty.
She sighed and scrolled through her contacts.
There was one person she hadn't talked to properly in days.
Kitty.
Kitty had been traveling with her boyfriend, Aryan, after exams ended. They had gone on a short trip, and with regular classes starting again, Kitty had decided to make the most of the break.
Which meant Meera had never actually told her the biggest news.
Her thumb hovered over the call button.
Then she pressed it.
After a few rings, Kitty picked up.
"HELLOOO," Kitty's voice came loudly through the phone, mixed with wind in the background. "Guess who is calling me after disappearing for days?"
Meera smiled a little. "Hi to you too."
"Oh my god," Kitty said dramatically. "You sound like you have gossip. Tell me everything immediately."
Meera hesitated for a second.
Then she said it.
"I'm dating Rohan."
There was complete silence on the other end.
For a full three seconds.
Then Kitty said flatly,
"…You're joking."
"No."
Another pause.
"You're serious?" Kitty asked slowly.
"Yes."
Kitty exhaled loudly.
"Meera."
"What?"
"That's a terrible idea."
Meera's smile faded immediately.
"What do you mean?"
Kitty's tone sharpened slightly.
"I mean Rohan is literally the last guy you should date."
Meera frowned. "You don't even know the situation."
"I know Rohan," Kitty replied.
"He's not like that with me."
Kitty laughed dryly.
"Meera, he's been like that with half the girls in school."
"That's not true."
"Oh really?" Kitty said. "Because last year he flirted with Anika for three weeks, then ignored her completely."
"That was different."
"And before that?" Kitty continued. "He was 'talking' to Riya. Remember how that ended?"
Meera's jaw tightened.
"You're exaggerating."
"I'm not," Kitty said firmly. "I'm warning you."
"I didn't call you to hear this."
"Well maybe you should."
"Kitty," Meera snapped, "you don't understand him."
"Oh I understand him perfectly," Kitty shot back. "He likes attention. He likes girls liking him. And when he gets bored—"
"He likes me," Meera interrupted.
Kitty sighed.
"That's exactly what all the other girls thought too."
The words stung.
Meera sat up straighter.
"Why can't you just be happy for me?"
"Because I'm your friend," Kitty said.
"And friends don't let their friends date walking red flags."
Meera felt anger rising now.
"You haven't even met him properly with me!"
"I don't need to," Kitty replied.
"Yes you do!"
"No, Meera. I've seen him for years."
Meera's voice hardened.
"You're being unfair."
"And you're being naive."
The word hit like a slap.
"Wow," Meera said quietly. "Thanks."
"Meera—"
"No," Meera interrupted. "If you're just going to judge him like everyone else, then maybe I shouldn't have told you."
"That's not what I'm doing," Kitty said, frustration creeping into her voice.
"I'm just trying to protect you."
"I don't need protection," Meera replied sharply.
Kitty went quiet again.
Then she said softly,
"Okay."
Meera swallowed.
"Okay?"
"Yes," Kitty said. "Do what you want."
Her voice sounded tired now.
"But when things start feeling wrong… please don't pretend they're fine."
Meera didn't respond.
"Just promise me one thing," Kitty added.
"What?"
"Don't lose yourself trying to keep him."
Meera's chest tightened.
But she forced her voice to stay firm.
"I won't."
They said a quick goodbye and hung up.
The room suddenly felt very quiet.
Meera placed her phone beside her.
Kitty's words replayed in her mind.
Walking red flag.
She shook her head.
"No," she whispered to herself.
"Kitty just doesn't understand him."
But deep down…
a small part of her wasn't so sure.
Meera was sitting on the steps outside the school building when Rohan finally showed up.
He had texted her earlier: "We need to talk."
The message had made her stomach twist all afternoon.
When he walked toward her now, his expression looked calm—almost too calm.
"Hey," he said casually.
"Hi," Meera replied.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Meera said quietly, "Why did you get so angry yesterday in the library?"
Rohan frowned slightly, like he didn't understand the question.
"Angry?"
"Yes," she said. "You made a whole scene."
Rohan laughed softly.
"Meera, that wasn't a scene."
"It was," she insisted. "Everyone was staring."
He shook his head.
"You're exaggerating."
Meera blinked.
"I'm not exaggerating."
Rohan stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Listen… you're just overthinking it."
Her chest tightened.
"But you were upset because I was studying with Harsh."
"I wasn't upset," he said immediately.
"You literally said—"
"I joked," he interrupted.
Meera stopped talking.
Rohan sighed dramatically, rubbing his forehead like he was tired.
"This is exactly what I mean."
"What?"
"You always turn small things into big problems."
Meera felt a strange knot in her stomach.
"I just wanted to understand what happened."
"And I'm telling you nothing happened," he replied.
His tone sounded patient, but there was something sharp underneath.
"You're imagining things again."
Again.
The word bothered her.
"I'm not imagining—"
"Meera," he said gently, reaching for her hand.
"You know I like you, right?"
She hesitated.
"…Yes."
"Then why would I embarrass you on purpose?"
She didn't know how to answer.
Rohan smiled slightly, like he had just proved a point.
"See?"
Meera looked down.
"I guess I just felt bad."
"You feel bad about everything," he said with a small laugh.
"That's your problem."
His words weren't loud or cruel.
But they still stung.
Rohan squeezed her hand lightly.
"You need to relax," he said.
"Not everything is an attack."
Meera nodded slowly, even though a small voice in her head whispered that something about the conversation felt wrong.
Before she could think about it more, Rohan added casually,
"Also… maybe don't sit with Harsh so much."
Her head lifted.
"Why?"
Rohan shrugged.
"I just don't like it."
"He's helping me study."
"I can help you," Rohan said quickly.
Meera almost smiled.
"Since when?"
He chuckled.
"Okay, maybe not with studying. But still."
His voice softened.
"You're my girlfriend."
The way he said it made her heart flutter again.
"You should want to spend time with me more than with him."
Meera looked down at their hands.
"Of course I do."
Rohan smiled, satisfied.
"Good."
Then he pulled her into a quick hug, kissing her hair.
"See? Everything's fine."
But as Meera walked away later, she felt strangely confused.
She had been sure he was angry yesterday.
She had been sure he hurt her feelings.
So why did it now feel like the whole thing had somehow become… her fault?
And why did that make her feel so small?
The evening air was cool when Meera met Rohan near the football ground. The field lights were still on, casting long shadows across the grass.
Rohan was leaning against the fence, scrolling through his phone.
When he saw her, he smiled and slipped the phone into his pocket.
"There you are," he said, pulling her into a quick hug. "Took you long enough."
"Sorry," Meera said. "I was on the phone."
"With who?"
"Kitty."
Rohan's expression changed slightly.
"Oh. The one who went on a trip with her boyfriend?"
"Yeah."
"What did she say?"
Meera hesitated.
She hadn't planned to bring it up, but the words slipped out anyway.
"She wasn't very happy when I told her about us."
Rohan's smile disappeared.
"Of course she wasn't."
Meera looked at him carefully. "She just… warned me about you."
The moment the words left her mouth, the atmosphere shifted.
Rohan straightened.
"Warned you?"
"She said some things about how you treat girls."
Rohan laughed, but it wasn't amused.
"Wow."
"What?"
"So now your friends are giving you relationship advice about me?"
"She's just looking out for me," Meera said.
"Looking out for you?" he repeated sharply.
"Yes."
Rohan ran a hand through his hair, pacing a step away.
"This is exactly why I don't like your friends interfering."
"They're not interfering," Meera said, frowning.
"I literally just told her we're dating."
"And immediately she started poisoning your mind about me."
"She didn't poison my mind."
"Oh really?" Rohan said.
"Because five minutes ago you were fine, and now you're repeating things your friend said about me."
Meera felt defensive.
"I'm just being honest."
"No," he said, his voice rising slightly.
"You're listening to people who don't know anything about our relationship."
"She knows you."
"She thinks she knows me," he snapped.
Meera crossed her arms.
"Why are you getting so angry?"
"I'm not angry," he said quickly.
But his jaw was tight.
"I just don't like people talking about me like that."
"Kitty is my best friend," Meera said.
"And I'm your boyfriend," Rohan replied immediately.
The words hung in the air.
He stepped closer.
"So whose side are you on?"
Meera blinked.
"What? It's not about sides."
"It clearly is."
"No, it isn't!"
Rohan scoffed.
"Right. Because right now you sound exactly like her."
"That's not fair."
"What's not fair," he said, his voice colder now, "is you believing gossip about me instead of trusting your own boyfriend."
Meera's stomach twisted.
"I didn't say I believed it."
"But you brought it up."
"I thought I could talk to you about things!"
Rohan shook his head.
"Yeah, well maybe next time you should tell your friends to mind their own business."
"She cares about me."
"And I don't?" he asked.
Meera hesitated.
Rohan laughed bitterly.
"Unbelievable."
He turned away for a moment, kicking a small stone on the ground.
Then he faced her again.
"You know what? Forget it."
"What do you mean?"
"If you trust your friends more than me, maybe you should date one of them instead."
"Rohan—"
"I'm serious."
His voice wasn't loud anymore.
It was cold.
Meera felt panic rising.
"That's not what I meant."
"Then stop bringing other people into our relationship."
He stepped closer again, his tone suddenly softer.
"I thought what we had was between us."
Meera looked down.
"It is."
"Then prove it," he said quietly.
"How?"
"Stop letting people like Kitty tell you what to think about me."
Meera swallowed.
"I… okay."
Rohan smiled again, like the argument had never happened.
"Good."
He pulled her into a hug.
"See? That wasn't so hard."
But while Rohan seemed satisfied, Meera felt uneasy.
For some reason, she suddenly felt guilty…
even though she wasn't sure what she had done wrong.